A major restoration to Ethiopia's architectural landmark, particularly in Addis Ababa, has been a success.
Australian architecture company, Architectus Conrad Gargett, collaborated with the United Nations to make the preservation of Africa Hall's legacy happen.
Designed by Arturo Mezzèdimi in 1961, Wallpaper shared that Africa Hall was initially a meeting space for African nations and served as the headquarters for the UN Economic Commission for Africa. It was a gift from Emperor Haile Selassie I, with the hall responsible for hosting numerous conferences and events that influenced the continent's history during the first half of the 20th century.
While not acknowledged much outside of academic circles, the historic building has a massive role in modernist architecture, up to its renovation project that began in 2013.
Project lead principal and architecture, together with a dedicated team of consultants from Australia and Ethopia, of the new Africa Hall expressed pride in the renovation process, especially since its role as a modern heritage building will be further valued ahead and will be more accessible to future generations.
Besides the building itself, Africa Hall has new integrated artworks. This includes a large stained-glass piece from a popular Ethiopian artist, Afewerk Tekle, a 40-meter mural from another popular Italian painter, Nenne Sanguineti Poggi, and over 500 customized furniture pieces that are also in its original place in the hall.
Re-inaugaration took place on October 21, according United Nations, and is now open to the public.
